Multilayer cleaning article with gripping layer and dry surface contact layer

ABSTRACT

The present invention teaches multilayer cleaning articles that include a substantially dry surface contact layer and a gripping layer. The contact layer may represent one exposed major face of the cleaning article (e.g., a cleaning pad), while the gripping layer may represent the opposite exposed major face of the cleaning article. The contact layer may include abrasive synthetic fibers, so as to be effective in scrubbing soils and spills from a surface. The contact layer includes a cleaning composition pre-loaded therein. The cleaning composition is such that the contact layer feels dry to the touch prior to use, before wetting with water. The cleaning composition may include about 1% to about 40% by weight water. The gripping layer includes at least 40% by weight of pulp fibers (e.g., natural cellulose pulp fiber), and exhibits a mean hand grip value that is at least 0.015 l/in2 (reciprocal inches squared).

PRIORITY CLAIMS AND RELATED PATENT APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation of co-pending U.S. application Ser.No. 16/250,865, filed on Jan. 17, 2019, entitled “MULTILAYER CLEANINGARTICLE WITH GRIPPING LAYER AND DRY SURFACE CONTACT LAYER”, which is acontinuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/970,107, filed onDec. 15, 2015, entitled “MULTILAYER CLEANING ARTICLE WITH GRIPPING LAYERAND DRY SURFACE CONTACT LAYER”, now issued as U.S. Pat. No. 10,219,672on Mar. 5, 2019. The entire disclosure of each of the above applicationsis hereby incorporated by reference in their entirety.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. The Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to cleaning devices, particularly todevices for cleaning of hard surfaces, such as countertops, table tops,and the like.

2. Description of Related Art

Consumers routinely clean countertops, tabletops, and similar householdhard surfaces using various cleaning articles and cleaning compositions.While various devices have been employed in such cleaning activities,there exists a continuing need for improved devices.

BRIEF SUMMARY

One aspect of the present invention relates to a multilayer cleaningarticle that may include a substantially dry surface contact layer(e.g., the layer contacting the surface to be cleaned during use) wherethe contact layer comprises abrasive fibers. The abrasive fibers may beselected from the group consisting of polyethylenes, polypropylenes,polyethylene terephthalate, polyesters, polystyrenes, melamines,polyurethanes, and any combinations or mixtures thereof. The surfacecontact layer may include a hard surface cleaning composition pre-loadedonto the abrasive fibers of the contact layer (e.g., loaded therein orthereon during manufacture). The cleaning composition (e.g., as loadedon the contact layer, so that the combination of the two is dry to thetouch) may include about 10% to about 90% by weight of surfactant(s),and about 1% to about 40% by weight of water. Even with up to about 40%water, the contact layer with cleaning composition therein or thereonmay exhibit touch and feel characteristics described as “dry” or“substantially dry”. For example, upon touching the contact layer, thewater concentration within the preloaded cleaning composition issufficiently low so that the surface feels dry to the touch, so as tonot leave any wet residue on the user's hands, gloves, clothing, andsuch. Because the contact layer is abrasive, the feel of the contactlayer upon touching may exhibit a scratchy and dry feel.

The cleaning article may further include a gripping layer (e.g., on anexposed surface opposite the contact layer) that exhibits enhancedgripping characteristics, so as to resist any tendency of the article toslip out of a user's hands when gripped therein. The gripping layer mayinclude a relatively high fraction (e.g., at least 40%) of pulp fibersto provide such improved grip. The mean hand grip value for the grippinglayer may be at least 0.015 l/in² (units of reciprocal square inches).The parameter “hand grip value” will be described in further detailherein, and is equal to the coefficient of friction divided by thesquare of the palm length of a person's hand.

Such cleaning articles have been found by the present inventors toprovide a cleaning article into which a cleaning composition may bepre-loaded, and which exhibit increased grip relative to the grippinglayer side of the cleaning article, even in the presence of surfactants,and water (e.g., rinse water, water added to facilitate cleaning atabletop or countertop, or similar). For example, it is beneficial tohave abrasive fibers, (e.g., typically synthetic abrasive fibers) withinthe contact layer, so that the abrasive contact layer is better able toscrape and agitate materials that may be adhered to the hard surfacebeing cleaned. Inclusion of the pre-loaded cleaning composition withinthe abrasive fiber contact layer further aids in removal of suchstuck-on materials, as the cleaning composition may be activated byrunning water over the contact layer surface, or providing water on thetabletop or countertop being cleaned, and then contacting the contactlayer with that water. Upon contact with the water, the cleaningcomposition is activated, e.g., beginning to foam and suds, aiding inbreaking up and removing spills and soils, including those that may be“stuck on” or otherwise adhered to the surface being cleaned.

While such abrasive fiber materials are good for working loose suchadhered spills and debris on a countertop or similar hard surface, suchabrasive fibers do not provide an ideal gripping surface. For example,such abrasive fibers can be rough on the user's hands, and otherwiselack desired characteristics for comfortable and reliable grip. Forexample, when using the same or differently textured synthetic materialsfor the gripping side of such a cleaning article, the inventors havefound that use of purely synthetic materials results in a slipperyhand-feel and poor grip when scrubbing with such a pad. For example, auser will typically press into the scrubbing pad, in an attempt to scrubsoils and spills, transferring the applied force from the gripping sideto the abrasive side of the pad. Where the gripping side of such a padis formed of a synthetic material, this can be difficult, as the padwill tend to slip within the user's hand(s), particularly in thepresence of surfactants and/or water that may migrate from the cleaningcontact layer to the opposite, gripping side.

The inventors have discovered that increased and enhanced grip resultswhere a gripping layer is provided that includes at least 40% by weightof natural cellulose pulp fibers (e.g., pulp and/or cotton). Suchrelatively high pulp content aids in the ability of the user to pressthe pad into the surface being scrubbed, while minimizing any tendencyof the pad or other cleaning article to slip within or out of the handof the user during use. Even regenerated cellulose has been found by thepresent inventors to act similarly to synthetic materials, not providingthe desired grip characteristics. As such, the gripping layer mayinclude at least 40% by weight natural (as opposed to regenerated) pulpfiber.

Another embodiment of the invention is directed to a multilayer cleaningarticle comprising a substantially dry surface contact layer that may bepre-loaded with a hard surface cleaning composition, and which includesabrasive fibers selected from the group consisting of polyethylenes,polypropylenes, polyethylene terephthalate, polyesters, polystyrenes,melamines, polyurethanes, and any combinations or mixtures thereof. Thehard surface cleaning composition may include about 10% to about 90% byweight of surfactant, and about 1% to about 40% by weight water. Themultilayer cleaning article (e.g., a pad) may further include asubstantially dry gripping layer including at least 40% by weight ofpulp fibers (e.g., cotton and/or other natural cellulose pulp), and amean hand grip value for the gripping layer may be at least 0.02 l/in².A moisture impermeable barrier may be provided between the grippinglayer and the contact layer. Because of the presence of the barrierlayer, the gripping layer may remain substantially dry, even when thecontact layer (which is also initially substantially dry) is wetted withwater, e.g., to better facilitate cleaning of spills or soils. Such abarrier layer may prevent migration of cleaning composition from thecontact layer to the gripping layer, as the barrier layer is disposedtherebetween.

Another embodiment of the invention is directed to a multilayer cleaningarticle consisting of a substantially dry surface contact layer, amoisture impermeable barrier layer adjacent to the dry gripping layer,optionally a loft layer (e.g., between the barrier layer and the contactlayer), and a substantially dry gripping layer. The contact layerincludes abrasive fibers that may be selected from the group consistingof polyethylenes, polypropylenes, polyethylene terephthalate,polyesters, polystyrenes, melamines, polyurethanes, and any combinationsor mixtures thereof. The contact layer also includes a hard surfacecleaning composition pre-loaded onto the abrasive fibers, which mayinclude about 10% to about 90% by weight of surfactant, and about 1% toabout 40% by weight of water. The substantially dry gripping layerincludes at least 40% by weight of pulp fibers (e.g., natural cellulosepulp fibers), and has a mean hand grip value of at least 0.02 l/in².

Further features and advantages of the present invention will becomeapparent to those of ordinary skill in the art in view of the detaileddescription of preferred embodiments below.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

To further clarify the above and other advantages and features of thepresent invention, a more particular description of the invention willbe rendered by reference to specific embodiments thereof which areillustrated in the drawings located in the specification. It isappreciated that these drawings depict only typical embodiments of theinvention and are therefore not to be considered limiting of its scope.The invention will be described and explained with additionalspecificity and detail through the use of the accompanying drawings inwhich:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an exemplary multilayer cleaningarticle;

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view through the cleaning article of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is bar chart showing hand grip values for tested comparative andexemplary multilayer cleaning articles; and

FIG. 4 shows a hand of a user, denoting index finger length, middlefinger length, palm length, and hand length measurements, as used todetermine hand grip value.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS I. Definitions

Before describing the present invention in detail, it is to beunderstood that this invention is not limited to particularlyexemplified systems or process parameters that may, of course, vary. Itis also to be understood that the terminology used herein is for thepurpose of describing particular embodiments of the invention only, andis not intended to limit the scope of the invention in any manner.

All publications, patents and patent applications cited herein, whethersupra or infra, are hereby incorporated by reference in their entiretyto the same extent as if each individual publication, patent or patentapplication was specifically and individually indicated to beincorporated by reference.

The term “comprising” which is synonymous with “including,”“containing,” or “characterized by,” is inclusive or open-ended and doesnot exclude additional, unrecited elements or method steps.

The term “consisting essentially of” limits the scope of a claim to thespecified materials or steps “and those that do not materially affectthe basic and novel characteristic(s)” of the claimed invention.

The term “consisting of” as used herein, excludes any element, step, oringredient not specified in the claim.

As used in this specification and the appended claims, the singularforms “a,” “an” and “the” include plural referents unless the contentclearly dictates otherwise. Thus, for example, reference to a“surfactant” includes one, two or more surfactants.

Unless otherwise stated, all percentages, ratios, parts, and amountsused and described herein are by weight.

Numbers, percentages, ratios, or other values stated herein may includethat value, and also other values that are about or approximately thestated value, as would be appreciated by one of ordinary skill in theart. A stated value should therefore be interpreted broadly enough toencompass values that are at least close enough to the stated value toperform a desired function or achieve a desired result, and/or valuesthat round to the stated value. The stated values include at least thevariation to be expected in a typical manufacturing or formulationprocess, and may include values that are within 10%, within 5%, within1%, etc. of a stated value. Furthermore, the terms “substantially”,“similarly”, “about” or “approximately” as used herein represent anamount or state close to the stated amount or state that still performsa desired function or achieves a desired result. For example, the term“substantially” “about” or “approximately” may refer to an amount thatis within 10% of, within 5% of, or within 1% of, a stated amount orvalue.

Some ranges may be disclosed herein. Additional ranges may be definedbetween any values disclosed herein as being exemplary of a particularparameter. All such ranges are contemplated and within the scope of thepresent disclosure.

In the application, effective amounts are generally those amounts listedas the ranges or levels of ingredients in the descriptions, which followhereto. Unless otherwise stated, amounts listed in percentage (“%'s”)are in weight percent (based on 100% active) of the cleaningcomposition.

As used herein, the terms “nonwoven” or “nonwoven web” means a webhaving a structure of individual fibers or threads which are interlaid,but not in an identifiable manner as in a knitted web. Nonwoven webs maybe formed from many processes, such as, for example, meltblowingprocesses, spunbonding processes, spunlace processes, airlaid processesand bonded carded web processes. The particular method for fiber laydown for layers of the present multilayer cleaning articles is notparticularly limited.

Unless defined otherwise, all technical and scientific terms used hereinhave the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill inthe art to which the invention pertains. Although a number of methodsand materials similar or equivalent to those described herein can beused in the practice of the present invention, the preferred materialsand methods are described herein.

II. Introduction

In an aspect, the present invention is directed to a multilayer cleaningarticle that includes at least a substantially dry surface contactlayer, and a gripping layer. The contact layer may represent one exposedmajor face of the cleaning article (e.g., a cleaning pad), while thegripping layer may represent the opposite exposed major face of thecleaning article. The contact layer (e.g., that layer that contacts thesurface to be cleaned during use) may include abrasive synthetic fibers,so that it will be more effective in scrubbing soils, spills, and thelike which may have become adhered to the surface being cleaned (e.g.,dried-on soils and spills). The contact layer including such abrasivefibers may further include a hard surface cleaning composition loadedonto the abrasive fibers. The cleaning composition is such that thepreloaded contact layer still feels dry to the touch prior to use, e.g.,before wetting with water. The cleaning composition may include about10% to about 90% by weight of surfactant, and about 1% to about 40% byweight of water. The gripping layer advantageously includes at least 40%by weight of pulp fibers (e.g., natural cellulose pulp fiber), andexhibits a mean hand grip value that is at least 0.015l/in².

The cleaning composition may be dosed onto the contact layer duringmanufacture and then dried. For example, the water content within thedosed cleaning composition may be somewhat higher than 40%, but upondrying, the water content drops to not more than about 40%. Of course,upon such drying, the percentage of surfactant (and any othernon-volatile components) in the cleaning composition increases. Evenwith up to about 40% water, the contact layer with cleaning compositiontherein or thereon may exhibit touch and feel characteristics describedas “dry” or “substantially dry”. For example, upon touching the contactlayer, the water concentration within the preloaded cleaning compositionis sufficiently low so that the surface feels dry to the touch, so as tonot leave any wet residue on the user's hands, gloves, clothing, andsuch. Because the contact layer is abrasive, the feel of the contactlayer upon touching may exhibit a scratchy and dry feel.

The natural pulp fibers within the gripping layer provide increased gripand slip resistance to the cleaning article within the hand of a user,making the device less likely to slip out of the user's hand, or to slipwithin their hand, during use (e.g., while pressing the gripping layerinto the surface being cleaned). The multilayer cleaning articleprovides better grippability and hand comfort than provided withinexisting scrubbing pads. This is particularly important where thethickness of the cleaning article is relatively thin (e.g., less thanabout 6 mm, or from about 2 mm to about 6 mm). Preferred multilayercleaning articles may only be about 2 mm thick, where the pulpconcentration characteristics of the gripping layer are quite important,as there is negligible grippability due to height or thickness of thepad. Rather, the gripping characteristics are provided by the nearly 2dimensional gripping layer itself.

III. Exemplary Multilayer Cleaning Articles

FIGS. 1-2 show an exemplary multilayer cleaning article 100 configuredas a generally planar cleaning or scrubbing pad. Cleaning article 100advantageously includes a plurality of layers, where at least one of thelayers is differently configured from another layer. For example, FIG. 2shows a cross-sectional view of cleaning article 100, illustrating howit may include a contact layer 102, and a gripping layer 104. As seen inFIGS. 1-2, the contact layer 102 may form one of the major exposedplanar faces (e.g., the bottom face during use) of the cleaning article100, with gripping layer 104 forming an opposite exposed major planarface (e.g., the top face during use) of article 100. Other layers whichmay optionally be present within the cleaning article may be sandwichedbetween layers 102 and 104, so that they are exposed only along thesides 106, if at all.

Contact layer 102 may be that side or face of the cleaning article thatis used in cleaning the desired surface (e.g., a hard surface such as acountertop, tabletop, cupboards, walls, floors, and the like). Contactlayer 102 may be specifically configured for this purpose. For example,it may be formed from or otherwise include abrasive fibers that wouldaid the contact layer in scrubbing spills and soils from desiredsurfaces, e.g., with the aid of a cleaning composition, which maytypically be accompanied by activating rinse water added by the user.The contact layer may thus be relatively abrasive, particularlywell-suited for scrubbing even dried-on spills and soils from the hardsurface being cleaned. The abrasive fibers are typically not so abrasiveas to damage the tabletop or countertop, but may typically comprisesynthetic fibers. Examples of such include, but may not be limited topolyethylenes, polypropylenes, polyethylene terephthalate, polyesters,polystyrenes, melamines, polyurethanes, and any combinations or mixturesthereof. The particular denier and other characteristics of the abrasivefibers may be configured to provide the desired abrasive, scratchy-feelcharacteristics.

As shown in FIG. 1, the contact layer 102 may include a pattern formedtherein (e.g., as a result of sonic bonding). Gripping layer 104 mayalso include a pattern formed therein, e.g., from the same sonicbonding. For example, the illustrated pattern may include a repeatingdiamond or chevron pattern. Such is further illustrated in U.S. Designapplication 29/498,196, herein incorporated by reference.

The contact layer may advantageously have a hard surface cleaningcomposition loaded onto the abrasive fibers of the contact layer, suchthat the cleaning article 100 as provided by the manufacturer is readyfor use, without any need for the user to add a cleaning composition tothe surface of contact layer 102 themselves. In addition, the cleaningcomposition preloaded within the contact layer is advantageouslyformulated so that the contact layer 102 exhibits a dry to the touchfeel, even where the cleaning composition itself includes somerelatively low concentration of water therein.

For example, the cleaning composition may be a composition including asurfactant and water. The water may be included in an amount from about1% to about 40% by weight, from about 5% to about 30%, from about 10% toabout 35%, or from about 15% to about 35% by weight of the cleaningcomposition, in its dried configuration. When such a composition ispresent on the abrasive fibers (e.g., within the contact layer), thecontact layer maintains a substantially dry to the feel touch, eventhough water is present within the composition. The composition thusdoes not drip, sweat, weep, or otherwise leave the contact layer of thecleaning device absent the user causing the composition to be activatedand released by wetting and/or scrubbing the contact layer against asurface to be cleaned. Rinse water may be added to the contact layer atthe time of use, which will dilute the cleaning composition, causing aportion of it to be released during cleaning, e.g., typically foamingand sudsing during such release as it is agitated while scrubbing thesurface with the contact layer. The entirety of the cleaning compositionmay not be released upon such a first use, but may allow the user to wetand use the cleaning article multiple times (e.g., 2-3 times before thecleaning composition is exhausted).

For example, the contact layer 102 may be of one color (e.g., white),while the cleaning composition is of a contrasting color (e.g., blue).This allows a user to easily see the dried cleaning composition on thecontact layer, providing a readily visible indicator that the pad stillretains cleaning composition therein. Such may be particularly helpfulafter one or more initial uses, as the presence of the contrasting colorindicates to the user that the pad still has cleaning power remainingfor use. Different colors could be provided for different contemplateduses (e.g., blue for kitchen use, green for bathroom use, etc.).

In an embodiment, the cleaning composition may consist of water and oneor more surfactants. The amount of surfactant may range from about 10%to about 90%, from about 25% to about 90%, from about 30% to about 90%,from about 40% to about 80%, from about 50% to about 80%, or from about60% to about 80% (e.g., about 70%) by weight of the cleaningcomposition, in its dried condition. The water may comprise up to about40% by weight of the composition, more typically up to about 35%, or upto about 30% of the cleaning composition by weight, in its driedcondition. As mentioned above, water may be included from about 1% toabout 40% by weight, from about 5% to about 35%, from about 5% to about30%, or from about 8% to about 20% (e.g., about 10-15%) by weight of thecleaning composition. In some embodiments, components other than waterand surfactant may be included within the cleaning composition.

For example, an organic or mineral acid (e.g., to aid in cleaning) maybe included. One or more of a chelating agent, an oxidizing agent (e.g.,any peroxide, such as hydrogen peroxide), or a hypochlorite, (e.g.,sodium hypochlorite), or one or more other adjuncts selected from thegroup consisting of fragrances, dyes, preservatives, humectants,solvents, polymers, pH adjusters, solubilizers, and combinations thereofmay also be provided. Exemplary amounts of some optional components mayinclude less than 5%, less than 4%, less than 3%, less than 2% (e.g.,from 1% to 2%, or from greater than 0.5% to about 1.5%) of an acid; lessthan 3%, less than 2%, less than 1% (e.g., from about 0.5% to 1%) of apH adjuster (e.g., a hydroxide); less than 1%, less than 0.5%, less than0.3% (e.g., from about 0.01% to 0.5%) of a solubilizer (e.g., tosolubilize a fragrance or other oil); less than 1%, or less than 0.5% ofdye, fragrance, and/or preservative; or less than 10%, less than 5%,less than 4%, less than 3%, less than 2%, less than 1%, or less than0.5% of any other optional adjuvant.

The surfactant(s) may include nonionic, anionic, cationic, ampholytic,amphoteric, zwitterionic surfactants, and mixtures thereof. A typicallisting of anionic, ampholytic, and zwitterionic classes, and species ofthese surfactants, is given in U.S. Pat. No. 3,929,678 to Laughlin. Alist of cationic surfactants is given in U.S. Pat. No. 4,259,217 toMurphy. Various alkyl polysaccharide surfactants are disclosed in U.S.Pat. No. 5,776,872 to Giret et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 5,883,059 to Furman etal.; U.S. Pat. No. 5,883,062 to Addison et al.; and U.S. Pat. No.5,906,973 to Ouzounis et al. U.S. Pat. No. 4,565,647 to Llenado. Variousnonionic surfactants can be found in U.S. Pat. No. 3,929,678 toLaughlin. Each of the above patents is incorporated by reference.

Any suitable surfactant(s) may be employed. Examples include, but arenot limited to sulfates, sulfonates, betaines, alkyl polysaccharides,(e.g., alkyl polyglycosides (“APG”), also known as alkylpolyglucosides), alcohol ethoxylates, and combinations thereof. One ormore of the selected surfactants may provide foam buildingcharacteristics.

By way of example, amine oxide chains may be provided with the one ormore surfactants. For example, the surfactant(s) may include from 30% to100% amine oxide components. Exemplary amine oxide chain lengths mayinclude C₈ to C₁₆, e.g., C₁₂ and C₁₄. Sodium laurel sulfate (SLS) andsodium lauryl ether sulfate (SLES) are examples of suitable sulfatebased amine oxide surfactants. APG chain length may be from C₈ to C₁₆,such as C₈ to C₁₄. Such chain lengths provide a good balance betweenhydrophobicity and hydrophilicity, creating a composition that cangenerate foam easily with minimal water, and which can also continue togenerate foam under relatively high water conditions (e.g., as occurswhen cleaning with rinse water). Various suitable APG surfactants areavailable from BASF under the tradename GLUCOPON (e.g., GLUCOPON 600).Various suitable SLS and SLES surfactants are available from STEPANunder the tradenames STEPANOL (e.g., STEPANOL WA EXTRA) and STEOL (e.g.,STEOL CS 230). Various other surfactants available from these and othersurfactant suppliers may be suitable for use.

In at least some embodiments, the cleaning composition may includepolyacrylamide, methylcellulose, thickeners, or gums. In otherembodiments of the invention, the cleaning composition may be free ofpolymers, thickeners and gums. The cleaning composition may initiallyhave a consistency of a thick lotion, even without inclusion of gums orspecific thickening components due to a relatively low water content,and relatively high surfactant and/or other actives content.

The composition may be acidic, neutral or basic. For an acidiccomposition, the pH will typically be about 2 to about 5 (about 2, about3, about 4, about 5, or any range defined between any such values). Fora neutral composition, the pH will typically be about 6 to about 8(about 6, about 7, about 8, or any range defined between any suchvalues). For a basic composition, the pH will typically be about 9 toabout 13 (about 9, about 10, about 11, about 12, about 13, or any rangedefined between any such values). The pH, surfactant concentration,surfactant type, and concentration and/or presence of other componentsmay be specifically configured to ensure that the composition is skinsafe so as to not irritate the skin of a user as the user uses thecleaning article (e.g., scrubbing pad) to clean a tabletop, countertop,or the like. Such skin safety characteristics may be determined by anysuitable test, such as by a standard repeat insult patch test (RIPT)test, an in vitro dermal irritancy test such as any of OECD 430, 431,439, or other test for skin irritation.

The cleaning composition may be formulated initially with a watercontent that is higher than that which is provided within the finishedmanufactured cleaning article preloaded with cleaning composition. Forexample, the contact layer 102 may be dosed with an initial formulation(e.g., a “lotion”), and then dried, to evaporate away a portion of waterinitially present within the cleaning composition. For example, thewater content of the initial composition may be higher than about 40%,e.g., about 50% to about 70% of the composition by weight. Similarly,the surfactant concentration of the initial composition may be lowerthan the 90% upper limit mentioned for the dried composition. Forexample, the surfactant concentration of the initial composition may befrom about 10% to about 60% (e.g., about 30% to about 50%).

Once dosed into the contact layer 102, the cleaning composition may thenbe subjected to drying, so as to evaporate away a portion of the waterpresent within the composition to yield the finished cleaningcomposition, which includes not more than about 40% water by weight, andso that the loaded contact layer exhibits dry to the touch hand-feelcharacteristics.

Because of the substantially dry characteristics, the multilayercleaning article differs significantly from products commonly known aspre-wetted cleaning wipes, which are wet to the touch, sold or otherwiseprovided in a condition where the substrate of the article is soakedwithin a wet cleaning composition. The present articles on the otherhand, are substantially dry, exhibiting a dry to the touch feel, onlybecoming wet to the touch upon wetting (e.g., by the user).

The manufacturing process may allow the initial formulation of thecomposition to have a lower viscosity than the finished cleaningcomposition, so as to facilitate easier dosing of the composition intothe contact layer 102. For example, the viscosity of the initialformulation may be from about 1,000 centipoise to about 40,000centipoise. After drying, the viscosity may increase as a result of theloss of water. The finished composition after drying may exhibitthickened characteristics, and when loaded within the contact layer, thecombination of the dried cleaning composition and the contact layerexhibits dry to the touch characteristics.

An exemplary cleaning composition formulation, both before and afterdrying, is shown in Table 1 below. Because surfactants are oftenprovided by the supplier in a form in which the active component ismixed with water (or other solvent), the table below shows the weightpercent actives for each component, the weight percent actives in theinitial formulation, and the weight percent of each component afterdrying.

TABLE 1 Raw Wt. Actual Wt Wt. % % in Wt. % % of Active ComponentFormulation Actives Active After Drying Water 63 30 Sodium Laurel 40 3012 23 Sulfate (SLS) Sodium Lauryl 20 25 5 9 Ether Sulfate (SLES)Alkylpoly- 40 50 20 38 glucoside (APG)

The cleaning composition may be effective at cleaning and removing soilsand spills typically present on countertops, tabletops, and other hardsurfaces. The composition may be effective in removal, even after suchspills and soils have dried-on, e.g., adhering to the hard surface. Thescrubby, abrasive characteristics of the contact layer are particularlyhelpful in such situations to aid the user in breaking up such dried-onsoils and spills so that they can be cleaned away. Water may be addedduring the cleaning process to facilitate break-up and removal, e.g.,added to the contact layer 102 or onto the hard surface, so as to mixwith the cleaning composition already preloaded within the contact layer102 before or during scrubbing. Such addition of water by the user alsocauses the cleaning composition to suds and foam (i.e., it isactivated), which aids in providing cleaning action to the hard surface,and is desirable from an aesthetics perspective (e.g., consumers desiresuch sudsing, foaming action). The composition may be effective atcleaning and removing kitchen grease. In addition to cleaning tabletopsand countertops (e.g., in the kitchen), other surfaces that may becleaned may include, but are not limited to other countertops (e.g., inthe bathroom), sinks, stovetops, dishes, floors, walls, doors, and thelike.

The contact layer 102 may include silver ions or another antimicrobialagent provided therein, or such may be provided within the cleaningcomposition. An exemplary contact may comprise polyethyleneterephthalate (PET) fibers. The contact layer 102 may include a blend ofdifferent fiber materials, and/or a blend of various denier fibers.Suitable contact layer materials may be available from Texel (Quebec,Canada), Filtrair (Heerenveen, Netherlands), Avintiv (Charlotte, N.C.),and other suppliers.

In addition to the contact layer 102, the cleaning article 100 alsoincludes a gripping layer 104, which is differently configured from thecontact layer 102. For example, the contact layer 102 is relativelyabrasive, so as to be able to effectively scrub soils and spills, whilethe gripping layer 104 is more comfortably gripped by the hand of auser, exhibiting a much more soft, comfortable feel. In addition, thegripping layer may be specifically formulated to resist slipping out ofor within the hands of a user, even if the gripping layer or the user'shand(s) are wet. The inventors have discovered that while syntheticfibers such as those employed for the contact layer 102, even whereemployed with different denier characteristics, etc. so as to be lessabrasive and more comfortable in the hand, are not particularly wellsuited for gripping. Instead, such materials tend to slip out of thehand of the user, or to slip perhaps not fully out of the hand of theuser, but within the hand, causing the user to lose their grip on thescrubbing pad 100.

The inventors have further discovered that by including a relativelyhigh content of natural pulp fibers (e.g., natural cellulose from cottonor other natural sources) within the gripping layer, increased grip isprovided within the hand of the user, so as to provide the user with theability to provide adequate force transfer to the pad 100 when scrubbingsoils or spills with the contact layer side of the pad, while minimizingany tendency of the gripping layer side to slip within the user's hand.For example, the inventors found that using purely synthetic materialsor even regenerated cellulose resulted in a slippery hand-feel, and poorgrip for scrubbing with the pad 100. In order to achieve sufficientgrippability within the gripping layer so as to prevent, minimize, orreduce such slip, the inventors found that at least 40% by weight ofpulp is needed within the gripping layer.

By way of example, pulp may be a lignocellulosic fibrous material, andmay be provided by separating cellulose fibers from wood, waste paper(e.g., recycled paper), fiber crops (e.g., cotton), or other suitablesources. Such natural cellulose fiber material was found to improvegrippability of the layer 104 when included within a mix or blend ofother fibers (e.g., synthetic fibers) in an amount of at least 40% byweight. Exemplary other fibers for inclusion within the mixture offibers within the gripping layer include synthetic fibers, such as thosedescribed herein for use in the contact layer 102. The denier of suchsynthetic fibers in layer 104 may differ from that of layer 102 (e.g.,the denier may be lower, smaller diameter fibers), to provide more of asoft, non-abrasive feel as compared to the abrasive contact layer 102.Examples of materials that may be mixed with the natural pulp fibers inthe gripping layer include, but are not limited to polypropylenes,polyethylene terephthalate, viscose, rayon, any of the other materialsdescribed as suitable for use within the contact layer, and anycombinations or mixtures thereof. Binder(s) may be included within ablend of fiber materials, whether used for the gripping layer 104, orthe contact layer 102. Both the contact layer 102 and the gripping layer104 may be in the form of nonwoven fibrous layers. Specific (butnon-limiting) exemplary gripping layer mixtures of materials aredescribed in the Examples section below, which were tested as to theirgrippability.

By way of example, the pulp content of the gripping layer 104 may be atleast 40% by weight, at least 42% by weight, at least 45% by weight,from 40% to about 60%, from 40% to about 55%, or from 40% to about 50%by weight of the gripping layer.

The gripping layer 104 is thus formed of a fibrous material, which hasbeen found to provide for increased grippability, and a less slipperyhand-feel. The gripping layer 104 is thus fibrous, as opposed to beingof a sponge like structure, which is not fibrous, and which may tend toexhibit more of a slippery hand-feel, similar to purely syntheticfibrous materials, particularly when wetted during use.

The gripping layer 104 may also be characterized by particularcoefficient of friction characteristics, which are higher for thegripping layer 104 including at least 40% by weight natural pulp fibercontent as compared to layers formed with less pulp content, or purelysynthetic fibers. For example, the gripping layer may have a meancoefficient of friction of at least 0.2, at least 0.22, at least 0.25,at least 0.27, or at least 0.3. Coefficient of friction may be no morethan 0.9, no more than 0.8, no more than 0.75, no more than 0.7, no morethan 0.65, no more than 0.6, no more than 0.55, no more than 0.5, or nomore than 0.45. Ranges may be formed between any such values, and arecontemplated to be within the scope of the present disclosure.

It will further be appreciated that the multilayer cleaning article(e.g., a pad) 100 including an abrasive contact layer 102 furtherexhibits higher coefficient of friction relative to the contact layer(e.g., between the contact layer and the hard surface being cleaned) ascompared to where the contact layer 102 were sponge like, or otherwiseless abrasive. Because of this relatively high coefficient of frictionassociated with the scratch, abrasive contact layer 102, it will bereadily appreciated by those of skill in the art, in light of thepresent disclosure, that it may be important to provide a relativelyhigh coefficient of friction relative to the gripping layer (e.g.,between the gripping layer 104 and the user's hand), in order to allowthe user to scrub the pad 100 over the surface to be cleaned without thegripping layer 104 slipping out of the user's hand, or slipping withinthe user's hand (e.g., losing grip).

The coefficient of friction of the gripping layer 104 can further benormalized for the user's particular hand size, using the property orparameter of “hand grip value”. Hand grip value is equal to thecoefficient of friction divided by the palm length squared, of the user.Such a property accounts for differences in measured coefficient offriction values associated with users (or testers) with larger hands. Intesting, it was found that testers or users with larger hand sizes(e.g., particularly palm length) tended to achieve relatively highercoefficients of friction, as will be explained in further detail withinthe Examples section, below.

In addition to the contact layer 102 and the gripping layer 104, themultilayer cleaning article 100 may further include one or moreadditional layers, e.g., sandwiched between the contact layer 102 andthe gripping layer 104. For example, in an embodiment, a thermoplasticfilm or other substantially moisture impermeable barrier layer 108 maybe provided between contact layer 102 and gripping layer 104. Such aconfiguration is shown in the cross-section of FIG. 2. Such athermoplastic film layer 108 may be thinner than contact layer 102, andgripping layer 104. For example, while the entire cleaning article maytypically have a thickness from 1 mm to about 10 mm, about 1.5 mm toabout 6 mm, or about 2 mm to about 6 mm, layer 108 may be the thinnestlayer, e.g., typically from about 0.01 mm to about 0.25 mm. Such a layermay be provided to ensure that no liquid transfer occurs from one face(e.g., exposed face of contact layer 102) of the cleaning article 100 tothe opposite face (e.g., exposed face of gripping layer 104). Such alayer may thus allow a user to apply water or other liquid to thecontact layer 102, without the water migrating through the variouslayers, and into gripping layer 104. This also prevents the cleaningcomposition within the contact layer 102 from migrating through thethickness of the cleaning article, into the gripping layer 104, aidingto minimize contact of the cleaning composition with the hands of theuser, which may also aid in maintaining the desired non-slip, grippablecharacteristics of the gripping layer 104.

By way of non-limiting example, the gripping layer 104 may have athickness of about 0.25 mm to about 0.5 mm, the impermeable barrierlayer 108 may have a thickness of about 0.05 mm, and the contact layerand an optional loft layer may make up the remainder of the thickness ofthe article 100. The contact layer 102 may have a thickness of about 0.5mm to about 0.75 mm, and the loft layer may have a thickness of about0.5 mm to about 0.75 mm.

Such a layer 108 may comprise any suitable moisture impermeable barrierlayer, e.g., any thermoplastic material provided in the form of a thinfilm, so as to provide a barrier between layers 102 and 104. Examplesinclude polyethylenes, polypropylenes, other polyolefins, any of thesynthetic polymeric materials described as suitable for use in thefibers of the contact layer, and the like. Of course, such a film layeris in the form of a thin water impermeable film, rather than the fibrous(e.g., nonwoven) characteristics of layers 102 and 104.

Optionally, a loft layer 110 may be provided, as seen in FIG. 2. Forexample, such a loft layer may also be between layers 102 and 104. Inthe illustrated configuration, layer 110 is disposed adjacent to contactlayer 102, sandwiched between barrier film layer 108 and contact layer102, so that the cleaning composition may also reside therein. Becauseof the presence of barrier layer 108, the cleaning composition loadedwithin one face of the pad is not permitted to pass through to theopposite side (where the gripping layer 104 is disposed), staying on oneside of barrier layer 108. Loft layer 110 may comprise a relativelysoft, cushy, fluffy layer that exhibits greater compressibility thancontact layer 102. Its characteristics may be such as to facilitateloading of the cleaning composition therein, as well as in contact layer102. For example, it may have a pore size distribution and releaseprofile that allows it to absorb and hold at least a portion of thecleaning composition therein, acting as a reservoir. Upon addition ofwater (e.g., at the time of use, for cleaning), and compression of loftlayer 110 and/or layer 102, the cleaning composition may be releasedtherefrom, being forced into contact layer 102 and into contact with thesurface being cleaned.

The various layers of cleaning article 100 may be bonded to one anotherby any suitable process (e.g., sonically bonded, mechanically bonded,use of an adhesive, and the like).

Upon wetting with water, the dry to the touch contact layer 102including the cleaning composition is activated, causing it to foam andform suds, which can be used in cleaning the desired surface. Becausethe cleaning composition is dried after loading, so as to have a verylow water content, the rate of release of the cleaning composition isreduced as compared to what it would be if the cleaning composition wereto include a higher water content. As a result, a longer usage period ispossible with the cleaning article 100. For example, the cleaningarticle 100 can be wetted and used, then allowed to re-dry after use,and the cleaning article 100 will still retain sufficient cleaningcomposition therein to allow it to be wetted a second time, and usedagain. A consumer may typically get at least 2 or at least 3 such usesout of the cleaning article 100, before the cleaning compositionpreloaded therein has been rinsed out to the degree that it no longernoticeably foams and suds upon wetting. At such a point, the user maysimply throw away the cleaning article depleted of cleaning composition.

IV. Examples and Testing Results

Exemplary gripping layers were tested for coefficient of friction andhand grip value characteristics. For each pad, structure and testmethods were as follows:

Pad Description:

Each pad was a 4-layer pad, with the layers sonically bonded together.The abrasive contact layer was a PET needlepunch material from TEXEL.The second layer was a loft “thruair” material. The third layer was awater impermeable thermoplastic barrier film layer, with the fourthlayer being the tested gripping layer. Different types of grippinglayers were tested, as described below. The contact layer face of thepad was dosed with 4 grams of cleaning composition, which initially hadthe consistency of a lotion, and which was dried so that the exposedface of the contact layer was dry to the touch. The composition of thecleaning composition was as shown in Table 1, above.

Test Method Description:

A. Pad Preparation:

(1) A cleaning pad has a surface contact side (the contact layer face)that has been pre-dosed with cleaning composition (“surface side”) and ahand contact side with the gripping layer (“hand side”) against which itis of interest to quantitate the degree of hand slip during cleaning.

(2) Cut a 6″×8¾″ piece of the cleaning pad and soak in water for 30seconds, using a sufficient amount of water in a sufficiently largevessel to fully submerge the pad. Poke with fingers to release stray airbubbles. Lift out by corners and let drain for 10 seconds.

(3) Place pad with “surface side” down on clean, wet, horizontal epoxyresin surface at least 13″ wide and 13″ long.

(4) Using fingers or hand with gentle pressure, move pad about 6-7″ in adirection perpendicular to the long edge.

(5) Move the pad back to its original position, then repeat for threemore strokes, for a total of five strokes.

(6) Flip the pad over, then move it just one stroke to pick up the suds.

B. Pad Assembly Preparation:

(1) The prepped pad is wrapped around a slab of thermoplastic materialsuch as polyoxymethylene (e.g. white DELRIN®) that has been machined tohave an overhang that allows the pad to be secured to it with binderclips in such a way that the binder clips are not supporting the weightof the pad assembly when it is placed on a flat surface.

-   -   a. The slab has a rectangular overhang of length 7⅛″, width 6½″,        and height ¼″. This is connected to a rectangular support base        of length 6⅛″, width 5½″, and height ⅜″. The overhang is ½″ on        all sides.    -   b. The rectangular support base has a slightly recessed surface        on the bottom (about 1/16″), leaving a 1/16″ inch wide lip        around the base.    -   c. Place the prepped pad with “hand side” up on top of the slab        with the base down and long sides of the pad and slab aligned.        Ends of the pad extend over the slab.    -   d. Wrap ends of the pad around the overhang and secure with four        ⅜″ capacity binder clips (OFFICEMAX), using two per side with at        least 4″ between them. Make sure pad is flat and smooth (not        bunched or wrinkled).

(2) Rinse and dry hands, to remove excess suds and start from the samecondition.

C. Measurement:

(1) A Force Table (Model WO #8131, CVM) is a measuring apparatus thatuses load-cells to measure horizontal and vertical forces applied to acountertop surface.

(2) Place the pad assembly with base down on a 12″×12″ piece of non-skidmat (Home Legend Deluxe Non-Slip Safety Rug to Floor Gripper Pad, Model#RGD24, available at Home Depot) on top of the Force Table, with thelonger dimension going from close to far (as opposed to left to right).The intent is to immobilize the pad on the Force Table so that the onlysliding surfaces will be the “hand contact” side of the pad and thehand.

(3) Press down on pad assembly with palm of hand (fingers up and out ofthe way) until reaching a comfortable intermediate pressure that seemsreasonable for consumer use. Vertical force displayed should be between1 and 5 pounds, preferably between 2 and 4 pounds.

(4) Start recording data.

(5) Move palm horizontally along the pad in the away direction for adistance of about 3.5″, and then back again, at a rate of 1 cycle (1away stroke+1 toward stroke) per second, while maintaining a consistentpeak vertical force close to the target. A metronome is advisable tomaintain the proper speed.

(6) Continue for at least 35 seconds.

(7) With data collection still going, place a 2 pound weight on non-skidmat near pad assembly. Use a force gauge to push against the 2 poundweight with 1 pound of force (the weight should not move), both in theaway direction and in the toward direction, holding for several secondseach time.

(8) Stop data collection.

(9) Undo binder clips and remove pad. Rinse well so as not to carry sudsover to the next run: pad-soaking vessel, suds-activating surface,thermoplastic slab, binder clips, non-skid mat, and Force Table surface.Dry non-skid mat and Force Table surface.

(10) Repeat for additional samples.

D. Data Analysis:

(1) The data output from the Force Table yields six columns of numbers:time in seconds, vertical (i.e., downward) force in pounds, and force inpounds for each of the four lateral directions: toward, away, left, andright. For the current method, only vertical, away, and toward forcesare used.

(2) Plot vertical, away, and toward forces as a function of time. If thebaselines (when no force is applied) are at zero, and the values at theend of the file (e.g., data set) are consistent with the calibrationweights (2 pounds for vertical, 1 pound for away and toward), then noscaling adjustment is necessary and the next step can be skipped.

(3) Adjust scaling of the three force columns to calibrate to forces atend of file. This involves finding a slope and offset for the vertical,away, and toward columns that reproduces the 2 pound and 1 poundcalibration forces at the end of the files.

-   -   a. For each of the three force columns, the quantities involved        in determining the slope and offset are:        -   i. BL=measured baseline (determined from a region in which            no force is applied)        -   ii. Adjusted baseline=0        -   iii. CF=measured calibration force (determined from a region            with the calibration weight/force constantly applied)        -   iv. Adjusted calibration force=2 pounds for vertical and 1            pound for away or towards    -   b. Calculation of adjusted force        -   i. Adjusted vertical force=2*(vertical            force−BL_(v))/(CF_(v)−BL_(v))        -   ii. Adjusted away force=(away force−BL_(a))/(CF_(a)−BL_(a))        -   iii. Adjusted toward force=(toward            force−BL_(t))/(CF_(t)−BL_(t))    -   c. The slopes and offsets should be similar over a set of        samples and an average may be used for scaling. For the data        reported in Table 2:        -   i. Scaled vertical force=(vertical force−1.25)*1.1        -   ii. Scaled away force=(away force+0.14)*1.5        -   iii. Scaled toward force=(toward force−0.55)*1.4

(4) On the plot of (adjusted) vertical, away, and toward forces as afunction of time, disregard initial region in which no force is applied,and first 20 seconds of motion data (still priming). Use the next 10seconds of data to proceed with analysis.

(5) Calculation of friction coefficient.

-   -   a. Discard (adjusted) away force values under 0.2 pounds. This        should leave about 10 plateaus of approximately 0.5 seconds each        with a few points dropping off on either side.    -   b. Discard 10 points (equivalent of 0.1 sec) on either side of        each plateau, to remove edge effects associated with stroke        reversal.    -   c. Repeat for (adjusted) toward force.    -   d. Divide remaining (adjusted) away and (adjusted) toward force        data points by corresponding (adjusted) vertical force data        points to obtain away and toward friction coefficients        associated with middle of plateaus.    -   e. Calculate the mean away and toward friction coefficients over        the 10 seconds, and average the two values to yield the friction        coefficient. Due to natural body mechanics, the vertical force        on the away strokes may be somewhat higher than on the toward        strokes, which results in a bias of the away friction        coefficients being lower than the towards friction coefficients.

(6) To account for bias in the friction coefficient due to handphysiology, a more consistent, normalized, measure of a material'sgrippability is its friction coefficient relative to a tester's handsize, which normalization does not require a reference substrate. Herewe define a parameter, “hand grip”, equal to the friction coefficientdivided by the square of palm length (e.g., in inches).

Friction coefficient results from tested gripping layer materials wereas shown below in Table 2.

TABLE 2 Friction coefficients Mean Substrate Composition Judge #1 Judge#2 Judge #3 value A Rayon/PET 0.230 N/A N/A B PET 0.265 0.215 0.380 0.29(Reference) C Over 40% Pulp, 0.335 0.310 0.415 0.35 PET, Viscose, Binderblend D PET Viscose 0.285 0.290 0.375 0.32 E Pulp 70%/PET 0.560 0.6000.750 0.64 Bico F PP/Pulp 20% 0.175 0.245 0.355 0.26 G PP/Pulp 30% 0.245N/A N/A H PP/Pulp 40% 0.370 N/A N/A

It was noted that friction coefficient increases with increasing pulpcontent.

E. Statistics Data:

To verify reproducibility, five of the substrates (B-F) were evaluatedby two additional judges. Key comparisons are made using paired t-testat 90% confidence interval (to eliminate judge bias) to demonstrate thattest substrate C, with over 40% pulp, PET, Viscose, and binder blend hasstatistically significantly higher friction coefficient than substrate B(the PET reference). Similarly, test substrate E has the highestfriction coefficient with 70% pulp. T-test analysis (also at 90%confidence interval) also confirms that substrate C has statisticallysignificantly higher friction coefficient than substrate D.

Hand grip values as described herein are calculated for the 3 judges (ortesters) based on hand size dimensions of the judges, as shown below inTable 3, and in reference to FIG. 4, which illustrates the measureddimensions.

TABLE 3 Judge #1 Judge #2 Judge #3 index finger length (A) 2.8 in 2.5 in3.125 in  middle finger length (B) 2.9 in 2.7 in 3.75 in hand length (D)6.7 in 6.4 in   8 in Palm length (C) 3.80 in  3.70 in  4.25 in

As described above, friction coefficient values are converted to handgrip values by dividing the friction coefficient by the square of thejudge's palm length. The results of hand grip are shown in Table 4,below.

TABLE 4 Hand grip (1/in²) Judge #1 Judge #2 Judge #3 Mean SubstrateComposition (DF) (EC) (BO) value A Rayon/PET 0.0159 N/A N/A B PET 0.01840.0157 0.0210 0.018 C Over 40% pulp, 0.0232 0.0226 0.0230 0.023 PET,Viscose, Binder blend D PET Viscose 0.0197 0.0212 0.0208 0.021 EPulp/PET Bico 0.0388 0.0438 0.0415 0.041 F PP/Pulp 20% 0.0121 0.01790.0197 0.017 G PP/Pulp 30% 0.0170 N/A N/A H PP/Pulp 40% 0.0256 N/A N/A

FIG. 3 also plots the hand grip data for the different judges for the 5substrates (substrates B-F) that were tested by multiple judges. As seenin Table 4 and FIG. 3, the parameter of hand grip minimizes bias thatmight otherwise be present due to differences in hand size between thedifferent judges, or users.

A t-test on the parameter hand grip produces the same statisticaloutcomes, showing that there is a statistically significant differencein the grippability of substrate C and E over reference substrate B aswell as substrate D. Substrates C, E, and H are examples of grippinglayer materials including at least 40% pulp, and that exhibited handgrip values of at least 0.015 (1/in²), preferably at least 0.02 (1/in²),or at least 0.022 (1/in²).

Coefficient of friction (and hand grip) is particularly important inthin multilayer cleaning articles, where compression does notsignificantly improve grip by providing vertical surfaces for forcetransfer or gripping. For example, all tested pads were under 6 mm inthickness. At such thicknesses, there is little to no gain ingrippability due to the ability to compress the pad, or grip the sidesof the pad, as the pad is so thin, being nearly 2-dimensional. The padthicknesses were as shown below in Table 5.

TABLE 5 Substrate Overall Pad thickness (mm) A 3.89 B 4.46 C 3.45 D 3.90E 4.01 F 3.96 G 3.75 H 4.02

Without departing from the spirit and scope of this invention, one ofordinary skill can make various changes and modifications to theinvention to adapt it to various usages and conditions. As such, thesechanges and modifications are properly, equitably, and intended to be,within the full range of equivalence of the following claims.

1. A multilayer cleaning article comprising: (a) a substantially drysurface contact layer comprising: a. a cleaning composition loaded ontothe surface contact layer, the cleaning composition comprising: i. about10% to about 90% by weight of surfactant; and ii. about 0.01% to about2% by weight of fragrance; (b) a gripping layer comprising: a. at least40% by weight of pulp fibers; b. wherein a mean hand grip value for thegripping layer is at least 0.015 l/in²; and (c) a barrier layerpositioned between the surface contact layer and gripping layer so thatthe cleaning composition does not migrate from the surface contact layerinto the gripping layer and the gripping layer remains substantiallydry.
 2. The cleaning article of claim 1, wherein the cleaningcomposition further comprises an acid.
 3. The cleaning article of claim1, wherein the major face of the surface contact layer comprises apattern.
 4. The cleaning article according to claim 1 wherein thecleaning composition further comprises a chelating agent.
 5. Thecleaning article according to claim 1 wherein the cleaning compositioncomprises an alkyl polyglycoside surfactant.
 6. The cleaning articleaccording to claim 1 wherein the cleaning composition comprises 1% to40% by weight of water.
 7. The cleaning article according to claim 1wherein one or more layers of the multilayer cleaning article aresonically bonded together.
 8. The cleaning article according to claim 1further comprising a loft layer adjacent to said barrier layer.
 9. Thecleaning article according to claim 1 wherein the thickness of all thelayers of the multilayer cleaning article measured together is betweenabout 2 mm and 6 mm.
 10. The cleaning article according to claim 1wherein the gripping layer has a mean coefficient of friction of atleast 0.2.
 11. A multilayer cleaning article comprising: (a) asubstantially dry surface contact layer comprising: a. a face of thesurface contact layer comprises a pattern; and b. a cleaning compositionloaded onto the surface contact layer, the cleaning compositioncomprising: i. about 10% to about 90% by weight of surfactant; ii. about0.01% to about 2% by weight of fragrance; and iii. an adjunct selectedfrom the group consisting of: dyes, preservatives, solvents, humectants,pH adjusters, chelating agents, oxidizing agents, polymers and anycombinations thereof; (b) a moisture impermeable barrier layerpositioned between the surface contact layer and gripping layer so thatthe cleaning composition does not migrate from the surface contact layerinto the gripping layer; and (c) a substantially dry gripping layercomprising: a. at least 40% by weight of pulp fibers; b. wherein a meanhand grip value for gripping layer is at least 0.02 l/in².
 12. Thecleaning article according to claim 11 wherein the cleaning compositioncomprises a sulfate surfactant.
 13. The cleaning article according toclaim 11 wherein the cleaning composition comprises an alkylpolyglycoside surfactant.
 14. The cleaning article according to claim 11wherein the cleaning composition comprises 1% to 40% by weight of water.15. The cleaning article according to claim 11 wherein the cleaningcomposition comprises an acid.
 16. The cleaning article according toclaim 11 wherein the thickness of all the layers of the multilayercleaning article measured together is between about 2 mm and 6 mm. 17.The cleaning article according to claim 11 wherein the gripping layerhas a mean coefficient of friction of at least 0.2.
 18. A multilayercleaning article consisting of: (a) a substantially dry surface contactlayer comprising: a. a patterned face of the surface contact layer; andb. a hard surface cleaning composition comprising: i. about 10% to about90% by weight of surfactant; ii. about 0.01% to about 2% by weight offragrance; and iii. an acid; and (b) a barrier layer adjacent to the drygripping layer preventing the cleaning composition from migrating fromthe surface contact layer into the gripping layer and allowing thegripping layer to remain dry even when the surface contact layer is wet;(c) optionally, a loft layer; and (d) a substantially dry gripping layercomprising: a. at least 40% by weight of pulp fibers; b. wherein a meanhand grip value for the gripping layer is at least 0.02 l/in^(t). 19.The cleaning article according to claim 18 wherein the thickness of allthe layers of the multilayer cleaning article measured together isbetween about 2 mm and 6 mm.
 20. The cleaning article according to claim18 wherein the gripping layer has a mean coefficient of friction of atleast 0.2.